Inter-Zone LADIES

Round Two- Report

WIDE OPEN

The Quarter-final draw for the ladies inter-zone competition has thrown the championship wide open with no clear favourites and potentially any one of the eight remaining teams can win the trophy if they can play to their full talent for the three remaining games. Rarely has the championship been so open with the opportunity of being crowned champions so wide ranging. Who will be able to take up the mantle and grasp this highly sought after opportunity.

Out of the competition are

2007 winners - Oriel

2006 winners – West Down

2005 winners – North West

2006 runners-up and 2007 semi-finalists – Foyle

Oriel in particular will rue the opportunity they blew against West Down in the first round having been so strong in the semi final and final last season.

Foyle 44 v Western 62

Considered as the big match-up of the round, Consistent performers with a proven track record in this competition [Foyle] against a vastly improving team [Western]. Over the past few years Foyle have been one of the few teams to remain consistent in the competition especially at home and they knew that the visit of Western would be a tough proposition however they were unable to raise their game to match that of the visitors. Western have made steady progress over the past two seasons and only narrowly lost in the semi-final last season. They are a very determined outfit and could it be that they are using the bitter disappointment felt last year to propel them to better performance this season. Western relish the away tie and are lifted by the mentality that everyone in the hall is against them. It was this same determination on display against a competent Foyle side that drove the visitors on and together with some excellent bowls gained them a place in the quarter finals. They are a unit and have very good team spirit which can give any team the vital edge required in a close contest. Disappointment for Foyle as some may not have reached their normal performance level while Western let very few opportunities to score slip by.

Western skips: J Carson, E Forster, P Harpur, J Parkinson, C Scott & G Stevenson  

North Eastern 53 v South Tyrone 50

Both teams met last year but this time round the hosts were able to reverse the result. Talent is not an issue with the North Eastern zone but consistency and cover for the back end positions are not always readily available. If they can get almost their full strength team out then all they lack is consistency. North Eastern may be regarded as outsiders but none the less on their day will be a handful and a huge challenge. South Tyrone have been dogged by unavailability this season of some very capable back end bowlers which means that a few players have been thrown in at the deep end without the required experience. Despite these setbacks the visitors gave a credible account of themselves with so little separating the teams in the end. The vast experience of the home side might just have been the telling factor in who got over the finish line in front. In such close games there are so many ‘what ifs’ literally one bowl here or there could have changed the result and it is the South Tyrone ladies who will have debated these bowls over and over again on their journey home.

Northern 55 v West Down 43

Are Northern going to prove to be the dark horses for the title or is this just another example following on from last year of the West Down side displaying their Weak Down failings again? It is very difficult to judge West Down’s opponents from afar because West Down have to be the most unpredictable team over the past few years. They are either hot or else absolutely freezing. Northern with this win have moved themselves into contention for the title because to beat recent winners you must have some very good points as a team unit. For many zones, ladies in particular, a lack of confidence can be a problem but a couple of wins can instil the required self belief which is necessary if teams are to perform to the best of their ability. Northern under new management should now be more assured of their capabilities which may trigger another step up in performance level. This was a fine win on home ground, an advantage that they will also hold in the next round.

Cork 48 v Armagh 47

Shock of the round as Cork use home advantage to the full. Another step forward for the home side who are showing advances at this level. Many teams have yet to find the right formula for the long journey to Cork and Armagh are only the latest of a growing list. Armagh ladies are a very steady team and were in the running for the title therefore this victory will make other teams sit up and take notice of the major improvements in Cork's competitiove teams.

Mid Down 53 v Mid Antrim 60

At last! Mid Antrim finally put in a performance close to their full potential. So often in the past the team have not justified the ability they possess as individuals nor as a team. Have they now shaken off the shackles, ready to progress to the next level? Do they have the temperament to stay there and not make a fleeting appearance? Nerves so often have been their downfall but to come out on top in a relatively close game will be to their benefit. The hosts were behind at the interval by thirteen shots but showed commendable fighting qualities in reducing the deficit to only two shots giving them the opportunity to complete the comeback if they could maintain the momentum over the last few ends. It was not to be and the visitors who have in the past froze over the last few ends of a tight game found some much needed steely determination and composure to seal a narrow but well earned victory.

Mid Antrim skips were: W Adair, I Adams, M Ewing, H Lynn, R Morrison & J Wilson.

East Antrim 57 v South Down 41

Yet again East Antrim are in the running to lift the title. Is this the year that they finally make the breakthrough and win the coveted title? They have two final performances behind them in recent years and they will be one of the teams to watch. EA will be hoping to go that one step further this season. They fear no-one but at the same time regard themselves as one of the ‘smaller’ zones and hence have due respect for other teams which keeps their feet firmly on the ground. The homesters went about this game in a very controlled manner with a few players having that added incentive to prove themselves as they felt they had a point to prove after the last encounter between the two teams when after a healthy lead East Antrim were overhauled in the final end. This time round home advantage was in favour of East Antrim.

South Down started the brighter on mat2 with the home skip having to save a minimum of five shots over the opening two ends reducing the damage to a loss of only two singles. This was early in the game but yet very important on how the rest of this game would be played out. If the visitors had of taken two consecutive counts then undoubtedly the nerves of the home side would have multiplied and hindered their performance. With these two bowls the skip settled the nerves giving her rink a confidence boost despite being behind. The hosts also found themselves behind by two shots on mat3 after the first end but in the next end the East Antrim lead set the example being the oldest player on the team and bowled two very good bowls which were instrumental in the home side claiming a count of four. The pace of the mat1 was proving to be a major obstacle for the home front end as they were still losing bowls into the ditch over the first three ends despite having the advantage of two trial ends. South Down took full advantage and led 1-3. The home two then settled and assisted in helping their rink to a four in the fourth end when the opposition skip hit the head but it did not run her way. The homesters got onto the scorecard on mat2 when the skip yet again came to the rescue by promoting a bowl into the head for shot. Mat3 was the venue for the closest and tightest heads as the two front ends found their range and crowded the jack. Although South Down had good starts on all mats at differing stages, the home side had grasped the initiative by the fifth end and were ahead on all three mats with an aggregate lead of eight shots. East Antrim no longer panic when behind which is a good sign that they have learnt from their experiences of the past few years. The visitors were finding the going tough on mat1 as the home four all started to play well. Their good play forced the South Down skip to burn the head off the side of the mat immediately after the home skip was unfortunate not to trail the jack into the ditch for a possible count. It was worthwhile burning the head as on the replayed end the visitors claimed the shot. On rink3 the leads and seconds were producing some excellent close bowls with both sides asking testing questions of the other. East Antrim seized the initiative on all three mats on the seventh end when they opened up a minimum of a three shot lead on each mat. The match went in favour of the home side on mat1 in the eighth end. After some good tit for tat bowls by either third the South Down skip was unfortunate to kill the head when trying to take off an EA bowl to lie a count. On the replayed end SD lay a count but a very accurate bowl by the home skip in hitting the head resulted in her lying shot and a turn around of five shots. In trying to retrieve the situation and still claim a count the SD skip was the width of a bowl tight and instead of taking the jack back nudged the lying bowl which sent the jack between three EA bowls. The EA rink then secured a 12-6 shot victory after the completion of the remaining two ends. SD fought back on mat2 with a three to close the gap to a single but EA won the last two ends to claim a hard fought 9-6 win. Mat3 was the closest game being all level going into the last end and as it turned out it was the only end that the EA lead or second did not have a close bowl. This resulted in the pressure being on the EA third who went to the head five shots down. She held her composure and ran at the head striking it with precision to spring the jack to three EA bowls at the side of the mat. The skips were unable to alter the head as the jack was in an awkward position so the home side gleefully took the shots and the rink win by 10-7 to give East Antrim an interval lead of significance by twelve shots. If this head had not been altered by the EA third then the advantage would have been minimal at four shots but more importantly the momentum would have been with the visitors. It is incredible how many bowls have such a major significant in a match, in a tight game literally every bowl could be so important whether played by a lead or a skip or whether in the first or last end.

The home side were under no illusions, they were aware that the second half rinks of South Down were very competent bowlers. To the same degree the home rinks are well experienced at the various situations that can occur in the second half and are more than capable of dealing with any issues that arise and more importantly the mental pressure.

Daggers were drawn immediately on rink2 as the home skip drew a class bowl near to the ditch line to lie shot but the SD skip was not to be outdone and played an even better bowl to take the shot back. The quality continued on rink2 when with the last bowl the EA skip looked to be closed out but she used just the right amount of weight to force the jack back onto a bowl to remove the bowl and rebound the jack slightly up the mat to lie the shot and level the match at 1-1. Quality was also on display on rink3 when in the second end the EA skip nudged a bowl in for shot. The SD skip then responded by delicately lifting her own bowl onto the jack to move it sufficiently to get two very well deserved shots. The skips on rink2 were changing every head. On the third end the SD skip hit the jack back for two. In a subsequent end it appeared that she may drop a count but she managed to edge in a bowl for shot while four against to keep her team within reach overall. Both fours were fighting for every shot on mat3 with some excellent bowls being required to change heads. At one stage with EA fighting back and sitting two shots the SD third and skip changed the head to such a degree that they claimed three shots. The EA four on rink1 were in dominant form as they went into a six nil lead after four ends with their skip being in great form. The SD skip had to take the lying EA bowl out of the head to finally open her account after five ends. The EA front end responded yet again and after the first eight bowls lay four shots to heap the pressure on the opposition third. She had the answer as she hit the head, split the bowls and lay shot. EA skip then drew shot only for SD to claim it back then with the final bowl of the end the EA skip eased the lying bowl out of the head to take a hard earned three and extend her lead to 9-1. The EA four continued their fine form giving their opposition very little open opportunities right through to the end to deservedly take the win. SD went ahead on rink2 but could not find the necessary defences to see-off the EA onslaught as EA timed their finish well to take the fifth rink win for EA. There were many close heads on rink3 often going down to the final bowl but in the end the SD rink showed more consistency particularly in the battle of the front ends to claim their solitary rink win of the match.

First half - C McKay 12 v P Mooney 6: G Peel 9 v B Walsh 6: A McLaughlin 10 v O Galloway 7.

2nd half – A Weir beat B Flanaghan: S McAuley beat A Grant: J Ringland lost to E McKenna.

These two teams were relatively well match but in the end the home side had more of a cutting edge on the day. At this level it only takes one rink to have an off day to swing the match in the opposition’s favour however that was not the case in this game which was very competitive from start to finish. The difference between the teams came down to a few opportunities grasped by the home side and some narrow misses from the visitors. Another very solid performance by East Antrim who will be one of the favourites for the title. They have the talent and experience giving them every chance of going the whole way, it is now down to them to produce the game they are capable of.

Donegal had a walkover v Larne

Mid Tyrone 62 v Mid Ulster 48

Rink scores – R McAnenly    9 v E Brown 6: I.Ross 14 v E Wright 8: V Wilson 6 v M Rocks 14

Only one shot separated the teams at the interval with the home side winning two out of the three rinks but the visitors claimed the largest winning margin of the first half rinks. The decisive game in the first half was played out on rink1. At the time rinks two and three were cancelling each other out so it was a matter of who could get the upperhand. It was an evenly matched game but in the end the home side managed to squeeze out the win and the slenderest of leads.

After only a few ends of the second period the home side had opened a significant gap on the scoreboard forcing the visitors to take more chances than they would have liked as they had to chase the game. Despite trailing by six B Davison fought back for a fine win however T McGeehan was able to withstand any comeback on mat3 to keep the pressure off the home side over the final period of the game enabling her rink to play their natural game without nervous tension which when it sets in can be counter productive. While the scoreline was well received it would be acknowledged that the opposition put in a better performance than the score indicated but were not rewarded for their good bowls.

W Sterritt 9 v B Davison 10: J McKee 8 v K Pitts 7: T McGeehan 16 v S Anderson 3